Carpet Cleaning Cost – 2024 Price Guide
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A great way to freshen tired and dirty carpeting and remove some pesky stains is to do a professional deep cleaning. Compared to the price of new carpeting, professional cleaning is an attractive option.
We'll cover the most popular carpet cleaning options and the costs of each in detail below.
2024 Carpet Cleaning Costs
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| National Average Price | $175 |
| Typical Price Range | $125 - $250 |
| Minimum Price | $100 |
| Maximum Price | $500 |
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How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost?
The average cost to get your carpets cleaned is $175 to clean roughly 500 sq. ft. of carpeting, although that depends on several factors. DIY carpet cleaning might cost less than $100 with the rental fee and cleaning products.
A small professional cleaning might cost as little as $125, while a more significant area could cost as much as $350, though the typical expense is $125 – $250, with most costs falling between $0.20 and $0.40 per square foot.
The factors involved in determining carpet cleaning costs are usually the number of rooms, the area in square feet, type of carpets, methods used, and stain removal.
Common Cleaning Pricing Methods
Carpet cleaning services price a project using a few different methods. Some use a per square foot price, while others use a per room price.
Per Square Foot
The square foot method usually requires the cleaning service to come in and measure, then give you a price. You should measure your place before they arrive to get an idea of how many square feet of carpet you have.
Use our square feet calculator to estimate the area of your room.
Some may even charge you a service call to measure when you have a small condo, one-bedroom home, or apartment, or they may roll it up into the quote. Moving large furniture or sectionals might result in more expense.
Average costs per square foot are between $0.20 and $0.40 for most jobs, however, costs can climb if the carpet is heavily soiled.
Per Room
Carpet cleaning services that charge a per room price might not care how many square feet a room is, while others might use a maximum size before charging you a two-room price. Average costs per room are around $35 to $150.
Various Methods to Clean Carpets
There are several approaches to cleaning carpets. The two most popular are steam cleaning and dry cleaning, or a combination of the two.
Carpet Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning uses a machine to inject steam and cleaning chemicals deep into your carpet and then vacuums out the dirt and debris. It typically takes a full day to dry, so plan on staying off the carpet the day of cleaning.
You will usually pay between $115 and $400 for a 1,000 square foot area, $200 to $560 for 1,000-1,400, and around $300 to $800 for 1,500-2,000 square feet of carpet.
Carpet Dry Cleaning
This process uses very little water and chemicals in a rotary machine. The benefit of dry cleaning is that there is no waiting to walk on the carpet after cleaning.
Some say it keeps your carpet looking cleaner longer than steam cleaning, but steam cleaning cleans deeper and more thoroughly than dry chemicals. Chemical cleaners average about $125 – $150 for a 500 sq. ft. space.
Cost of a Steam Cleaner Rental
The price to rent a steam cleaner for a DIY carpet cleansing is $30 to $90 per day, depending on your location. Steam cleaning your carpet is time-consuming and may be hard on your back.
Plus, there is a chance of oversaturating, which could prolong the drying time and allow mold to start growing. Other drawbacks of DIY carpet cleaning include inferior machines that have been used by many customers; some might not work at all.
Of course, the rental company will replace it, but you have already spent your time and effort prepping. Some machines are too large to get tight places and room corners.
Removing Stains, Additional Cleaning & Special Services
Many carpet cleaning services charge extra for spot cleaning and stain removal. Spot cleaning and dye touch-ups cost around $120 per visit.
However, they will also typically offer services such as Scotchgard, Stainmaster, or Teflon additives to protect against future stains.
Scotchgard is a favorite, frequently used chemical protection for carpets and upholstery. It protects the carpet or fabric by wrapping itself around the fibers to create a protective film that does not allow the stain to sink into the material and makes for easy cleanup.
These types of treatments cost around $250 in addition to the cost of cleaning.
Ask about these and subscription service discounts. A subscription service discount is like buying a contract to get your carpets cleaned on a regular schedule, such as quarterly or semiannually.
You can also prolong your carpet’s lifespan through repairs and dyes; ask a professional about these services. When you’re ready to hire a professional, we suggest getting three or more estimates and compare their services.
Remember to ask for discounts for repeated service, large areas, and coupling your upholstery cleaning with carpet cleaning.
If you’re considering installing new carpeting, check out our carpet calculator to help plan the project.
All pricing information on this page is based on average industry costs, and is subject to variance for project-specific materials, labor rates, and requirements.